CAC’s Margie Alt Responds to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s Statements About Los Angeles Rebuilding After Wildfires
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 7, 2025
CONTACT: Katie Valentine, kvalentine@cacampaign.org
CAC’s Margie Alt Responds to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s Statements About Los Angeles Rebuilding After Wildfires
WASHINGTON – On Thursday, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told Newsmax that Los Angeles, which was hit last month with the most destructive wildfires the city has ever seen, would be able to rebuild better than before, and that destructive wildfires “should never happen again” in LA. In response, Climate Action Campaign’s Margie Alt issued the following statement:
“Just one week after he became administrator of the EPA, Lee Zeldin and I already agree on something: wildfires should never inflict catastrophic damage on LA – or any city – again. Unfortunately the science indicates otherwise. But under President Trump’s climate change denial, fires like these will likely keep happening and even worsen, and the death and destruction will continue to mount. Zeldin, Trump and their polluter pals want to roll back critical clean energy and climate investments and standards designed to limit the pollution that feeds the climate crisis and worsens wildfires.
“While he was in LA, Trump used the tragic wildfires for petty politics, telling devastated LA residents that critical disaster aid would only be forthcoming if California gave in to the president’s political demands, threatening to withhold disaster aid unless California changed its water management policies.
“Furthermore, instead of taking disaster relief seriously, Trump has suggested eliminating FEMA, the federal agency that provides life-saving aid to disaster victims. Trump and the Republican majority in Congress must stop attacking FEMA and instead ensure that it has the resources it needs to help Americans in crisis.
“It doesn’t sound to me like Trump and his EPA administrator are ensuring that LA will rebuild and recover. It sounds like they are using Americans who need immediate help as pawns in a political game. The only way LA will rebuild and recover is if the Trump administration ends their petty politics and makes sure the people of Los Angeles have the resources they need.”
About the Climate Action Campaign
Climate Action Campaign (CAC) is a vibrant coalition of advocacy organizations working together to drive ambitious, durable federal action to cut carbon pollution, address the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and accelerate the transition to clean energy. Our goal is to reduce carbon pollution and accelerate the transition to clean energy through policies focused on climate, justice, and jobs and expanding opportunity for all.
